Soap Making Terms

If you want to learn about different soaping methods and get help for potential problems, then it helps to know common soap making terms. Whether you are a beginner or experienced, you are likely to come across something new with your batches at least once. So, we are here to help you understand what to do and how to solve any soap-making issues.

Soap Making Terms: How Much Fragrance Oil Can I Add to Soap?

While you should always check the usage rate for each individual fragrance, the maximum that we recommend is 5%. Sometimes you can a scent where the IFRA sheet allows more and you can do more if you’d like. After you know the usage rate, you just need to do some simple multiplication to figure out how much scent you need.

Soap Making Terms: Why Did My Soap Turn Brown?

Often fragrance oils that contains a high amount of Vaniilin will turn soap brown. Also, the color will be a darker brown with scented oils with higher amounts of Vanillin. We can use Vanilla White Color Stabilizer to reduce these effects and still use the scent. Since this ingredient is added to provide a vanilla scent, strong vanilla fragrance oils will almost always turn soap brown without the color stabilizer.

Soap Making Terms: Can I Use Essential Oils in Soap Making?

Yes, essential oils can be used to scent soap. We find that essential oils hold up better in MP soap than in soap made from scratch. This is because the saponification process can cook off the essential oil, which doesn’t have middle notes to anchor the scent. You may have some scent after the soaps cure, but it won’t be as strong as it is in MP soap.

Soap Making Terms: How Much Essential Oil Can I Use in Soap?

This can be different for each essential oil, so you will need to check the IFRA sheet for the usage rate. Then, you can figure out how much you need using the same method as you would for fragrance oils.

Soap Making Terms: How Do You Make Soap White?

You can add titanium dioxide to soaps to make them white. In fact, many of our white soap bases use this ingredient. If you wanted, you could use this ingredient to turn your clear soaps to white.

Soap Making Terms: What is Melt and Pour Soap Making?

Another option for soap making is melt and pour soap. This method starts with a soap base that has already gone through the saponification process. So, you cut need to cut and melt the amount your need before you are ready to add colorants, fragrance, or herbs. Then, you can pour the melted soap into a mold and spray the top with rubbing alcohol. As soon as the soap is hardened, it is ready to use!

Soap Making Terms: How Much Melt and Pour Soap Will I Need for My Mold?

For each ounce by volume in your mold you will need 31 grams of soap. Say the soap mold will hold 16 ounces, you will need 496 grams of soap

Soap Making Terms: How Long Should Melt and Pour Soap Stay in the Mold?

This can vary based on the size of soap you are creating. Smaller soaps will take less time compared to bigger soaps. Just make sure that they are hardened all the way before you remove them. Also, you should be able to feel that the mold is no longer warm to touch.

Soap Making Terms: How Do I Get My Melt and Pour Soap Out of the Mold?

While you should be able to hold your molds upside down and lightly push, sometimes they get stuck. If you place your soaps in the refrigerator for a short amount of time, this should make it easier for you to remove your mp soap.

Soap Making Terms: How Do I Get Fingerprints Off My Melt and Pour Soap?

Sometimes when you are removing your soaps from the mold, you can transfer a fingerprint. Just use some rubbing alcohol to dampen a cotton swab and gently swab the fingerprint. It should begin to fade as you do this.

Soap Making Terms: Can Melt and Pour Soap Be Used Right Away?

Of course! The saponification process is already complete before you get your soap base. So, there is no active lye to worry about. This means that you can use your soaps as soon as they harden.

Soap Making Terms: Why Is My Melt and Pour Soap Sweating?

There are a few reasons why your soap would sweat. First, it could be due to adding too much oil. Whether it is fragrance oil or carrier oil, the soap can only hold on to so much before the oil begins to leak out to create beads on the surface. More often, it is due to the soap drawing moisture from the air. Since your soap base uses vegetable glycerin, a humectant, it will draw moisture to it. Although this is great for you skin, it can lead to your soap sweating . However, you can prevent the latter by wrapping your soap as soon as it comes out of the mold. This way it can’t pull moisture from the air.

Soap Making Terms: What is Hot Process Soap Making?

Another way to make soap from scratch is hot process soap. This process is very similar to cold process soapmaking. However, in this method you will have a heat source to speed up the saponification process. You can use a crock pot or stove top to heat your soap mixture. After, you can technically use the bars immediately. However, letting them cure a week will provide you with harder, milder bars.

Soap Making Terms: How Long Do You Have to Wait to Use Hot Process Soap?

Yes. Although you don’t have to wait as long for your soaps to cure, there is still some lye left that needs to react. Typically, you will need to wait 1-2 week(s) before using your hp soap.

Soap Making Terms: What Does Rebatch Mean?

If you want to redo a soap batch or add more ingredients, then this is a great idea for you! It is common to rebatch to correct issues like seizing or forgotten ingredients. Also, this can be done to add ingredients that wouldn’t react well during the saponification process, like natural exfoliates or essential oils. First, take the soaps that you aren’t necessarily pleased with and grate them into pieces. Place these pieces in a crock pot and melt them with milk, water, or another liquid to prevent scotching. Also, add any additional oils that you want in these soaps. Allow you batch to reheat for one hour at which point it will by thick. After, add the color, scent, and herbs before scooping this soap into a mold.

Soap Making Terms: What is Cold Process Soap Making?

This process is one of a few that are refereed to as making soap from scratch because in uses water, lye, and oils to create bars of soap. Another key characteristic of this method is that you don’t need outside heat, as the lye provide enough heat for saponification. Once trace occurs, you are able to add colorants, scented oils, and herbs can be added at this point. After 24 hours, you can remove the soap from the mold and cut. However, you must let your soap cure for a period of 4-6 weeks.

Soap Making Terms: What is Lye in Soap Making?

Lye is a caustic base that is a key component for soap, as it drives the saponification process. It is sometimes referred to as sodium hydroxide for bar soaps and potassium hydroxide for liquid soaps.

Soap Making Terms: What Does Saponification Mean?

This is the process of lye reacting with the oils/fats/butters to produce soap. Saponification will produce both the soap and the glycerin in the soap.

Soap Making Terms: What Does Cure Time Mean?

Cure time is the period where the soap finishes the soaponification process until there is no more active lye present in the bars.

Soap Making Terms: What Does the Term Trace Mean in Soap Making?

In soaping, trace is when the lye water and the oils/butters have been fully combined. You will know that you’ve hit trace because the batter will thicken to a pudding-like consistency. Also, you can check to see whether you are at trace by using a spatula to “trace” a line of soap in the batter. You will notice that the line will not immediately disappear and you can see a trace of the soap you drizzled in.

Soap Making Terms: What Does Light Trace Mean in Soap Making?

Light trace is the point right before your soap comes to trace. You will begin to see a trace, but it won’t stay for more than a few seconds. So, the batter is about to hit trace where it will be thick enough to see the soap for a bit longer.

Soap Making Terms: How Long Does It Take for Soap Batter to Get to Trace?

The time is takes to get to trace will vary between batches for a number of reasons. The ingredients in a recipe can lead to different times. Also, fragrance oils and some soap additives can accelerate or slow trace in your batch.

Soap Making Terms: What Does Seize Mean in Soap Making?

If your soap seizes, then it means that your soap has gone through saponification enough that the batter is beginning to turn from liquid to solid. While this isn’t bad on its own, it makes it impossible to pour soap that is still in the bowl. This hardening soap that hasn’t yet made it to the mold will be too thick to mix and, at best, will be chunky in the mold.

Soap Making Terms: Why Do I Have Lye Pockets in My Cold Process Soap?

If you use too much lye in your soap recipe, then you canLye pockets can form in cold process soap most often when too much lye is used. However, it could also be a recipe that wasn’t properly formulated, an oil was left out, the soap seized, or even when the lye solution was not fully mixed. If the lye was not completely saponified you can always rebatch the soap and hot process the soap adding additional oil. Also, it is possible that it could be used in recipes such as laundry soaps that can utilize soap with a higher pH level.

Soap Making Terms: Can I Change the Soap Making Recipes?

Unlike many other bath and body recipes, you can’t simply swap out oils in the Natures Garden formulated recipe. Each oil has a certain saponification value that determines how much lye it will react with. So, switching an oil could result in your batch being lye heavy. Even if you wait longer to cure, there won’t be enough oils to react with the lye and the bars will irritate the skin or even cause burning. Instead, use SoapCalc to determine what you would have to change to get the recipe that you want!

Soap Making Terms: Reach Out to Us

If you have any other questions or concerns about soapmaking, then please reach out to us! One easy way to ask us something is on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Have fun soaping!

Pie Fragrance Oils

Everybody loves a great pie! Plus, there are so many delicious flavors out there that there is a flavor for everyone. We at Natures Garden have a few of our favorite flavors made into Pie Fragrance Oils! These scrumptious aromas are perfect for candle and soap making supplies, as they are strong and are sure to make your mouth water. Check out all the different fragrance oils that we have and pick your favorite pie flavors. Further we have a few of our free recipes that incorporate these pie fragrance oils!

Pie Fragrance Oils: Apple Butter Pie Fragrance Oil

First, we have the delicious aroma of our Apple Butter Pie Fragrance Oil. The apple butter pie aroma that is an amazing fragrance oil that reminds us of grandma’s southern baking while on trips to Tennessee. This fragrance has a perfect arrangement of tart pie apples, apple butter, evaporated milk, cinnamon, and buttery, flakey pie crust. If you are a lover of apple pie., then you are sure to love this scrumptious apple scent!

Pie Fragrance Oils: Apple Pie Fragrance Oil (Our Old Version)

Next, we have our good old, traditional Apple Pie Fragrance Oil (Our Old Version). This This fragrance is the apple pie scent we have had since the very beginning of Natures Garden. The aroma starts with tart green apples that is followed by middle notes of cinnamon and brown sugar. Lastly, these notes rest on the aroma of vanilla and buttery pie crust. While this scent is not the same as our Hot Baked Apple Scent, it is a similar scent. However, this original apple pie scent has more of a cinnamon “kick” that body products just can’t handle. However, this strong apple pie aroma is sure to be a fantastic candle scent!

Pie Fragrance Oils:Apple Pie Fragrance Oil (Our Old Version) Recipe

There is nothing more American than apple pie! So, we decided to use this fantastic scented oil in our Independence Day Candle Recipe. If you are looking for a simple way to learn how to make candles that are unique, then this is a great recipe to start! This patriotic candle uses red and white layers to create stripes and creates a star cut out with blue candle colorant and beeswax. Its a perfect summer scent in a candle that is fit for the Fourth of July!

Pie Fragrance Oils: Banana Cream Pie Fragrance Oil

Also, you can try out a delicious and sweet dessert scented oil, which is our Banana Cream Pie Fragrance Oil. This scented oil has the true aroma of freshly made banana cream pie. This scrumptious fragrance oil has top notes of ripe banana, quince, and apple; middle notes of juicy pearberry, Anjou pear, clove buds, and plantain leaves; base notes of vanilla extract, pie crust, and butter rum. So, you are sure to adore this scrumptious pie scent in your homemade candle and soap making.

Pie Fragrance Oils: Cherry Crumb Pie Fragrance Oil

Another great scent you can try is the Cherry Crumb Pie Fragrance Oil. This scrumptious aroma is a combination of sweet black cherries and sour cherries with a base note of a freshly baked southern flake crust. The scent of a warm cherry pie would be a perfect fragrance oil for soap or candles, as it is delicious and strong. Of course something this good is going to be popular among our customers. So, it may seem obvious that this fragrance oil has become a best seller at Natures Garden!

Pie Fragrance Oils: Coconut Cream Pie Fragrance Oil

Also, you can try out the delicious scent of the Coconut Cream Pie Fragrance Oil. This light, creamy scent smells just like the real thing! This tasty pie recipe has a rich, creamy vanilla base with notes of coconut, butter, with a hint of fresh baked crust. This amazing pie scent is another great dessert fragrance oil that has become a best selling scent! So, you absolutely want to use this yummy scent to make soaps at home or create delicious homemade candles!

Pie Fragrance Oils: Granny’s Pecan Pie Fragrance Oil

Next, we have a pie fragrance oil that you will not want to pass up on. The Granny’s Pecan Pie Fragrance Oil from Natures Garden is an unforgettable blend that is sure to make your mouth water. This scented oil has an aroma of fresh southern pecans that is smothered in a pralines and butter sauce the scent is rounded with an aroma of flakey, baked crust. Of course, this sweet bakery scent is another best selling scent at Natures Garden. So, you are definitely going to want to try out this beloved scent!

Pie Fragrance Oils: Hot Baked Apple Pie Fragrance Oil

Additionally, we have the Hot Baked Apple Pie Fragrance Oil, which is the most wonderful freshly baked apple pie fragrance we have found! This scent is similar to our old version of apple pie fragrance, but this scented oil has a perfect aroma for bath and body recipes. The aroma of this fragrance oil is a fresh cut granny smith apples, smothered in butter, cream, and cinnamon, with a background of fresh baked crust. Also, this delightful apple pie fragrance oil is a best selling scent at Natures Garden. So, try out this scrumptious, beloved fragrance in you candle recipes or cold process soap recipes and get ready for a great time!

Pie Fragrance Oils: Keylime Pie Fragrance Oil

Another great scent that you will want to try out in your own recipes is the Keylime Pie Fragrance Oil. If you enjoy the sweet and tart taste of keylime pie, then this is the perfect scent for you as it smells just like a real, fresh keylime pie! This delectable fragrance oil by Natures Garden is a blend of bitter lime and green lemon zests on a dry down of vanilla cream that is sure to make you mouth water. Plus, this is a perfect candle making fragrance oil! We enjoyed this scent so much that we used it in one of our candle recipes.

Pie Fragrance Oils: Keylime Pie Fragrance Oil Recipe

This scented candle recipe that we created with the Keylime Pie Fragrance Oil is our Keylime Pie Candle Recipe. We decided that since our candle will smell like a real key lime pie, it should look like one, too! We created a layer for the crust and the pie filling. Then, it’s topped with whipped topping and has a couple slices of lime wedged into the fluff. Delicious!

Pie Fragrance Oils: Lemon Meringue Pie Fragrance Oil

Plus, you have the option to use the delicious scent of our Lemon Meringue Pie Fragrance Oil. Such a true, pie scent that is sure to impress! The aroma is of a freshly baked pie filled to the top with lemon custard and lemon zests, which is topped with a creamy vanilla meringue. It is such a magnificent blend that we were inspired to get out our soap-making supplies and create something fun! If you are unsure of how to make soap, then check out our simple Melt and Pour recipe that will take you though the steps of soap making.

Pie Fragrance Oils: Lemon Meringue Pie Fragrance Oil Recipe

SInce this this delicious pie scent is perfect for soapmaking, we used it to create the Lemon Meringue Pie Soap Recipe. Plus, we used a pie soap mold. This means that the home made soaps would both look and smell just like a real lemon meringue pie! All you have to do is cut yourself a slice and you’ll be deliciously clean in no time.

Pie Fragrance Oils: Pilgrims Pie Fragrance Oil

Next, we have the seasonal and scrumptious Pilgrims Pie Fragrance Oil. This delightful pie scent is a holiday delight! Pilgrim’s Pie fragrance is a scrumptious, highly complex accord that begins with top notes of pumpkin and lemon. Also, it has middle notes of champagne, grapes, nutmeg, and smoked cinnamon and is rounded out with base notes of vanilla, tea leaves, and hickory.

Pie Fragrance Oils: Poison Pie Fragrance Oil

Another great scent that you may want to try is our Poison Pie Fragrance Oil. This scent is a killer fragrance to say the least! The fragrance oil has an aroma of freshly picked blueberries, fresh cut granny smith apples, smothered in butter, cream, and cinnamon, with a background of fresh baked crust. The fresh fruit scents blended with the tasty bakery notes creates a fragrance oil is simply to die for!

Pie Fragrance Oils: Pumpkin Pie Spice Fragrance Oil

If you are a fan of a rich pumpkin pie, then this next pie scent is definitely for you! The Pumpkin Pie Spice Fragrance Oil is a fantastic aroma that combines pumpkin and spice in a way that really brings this scent to life. The aroma begins with notes of sweet cream pumpkin that are complimented with nuances of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and ginger. Finally, this lovely scent oil is rounded out with buttery vanilla notes. This pie scent is so good you’ll be wanting a second slice!

Pie Fragrance Oils: Pumpkin Pie Spice Fragrance Oil Recipe

One fun way that you can use this yummy pumpkin pie fragrance oil is to recreate our Pumpkin Pie Candle Recipe. This recipe is perfect because everyone loves candles that look like real food! So, this free candle recipe was created to look just like a real pumpkin pie. So, we created a crust layer, pie filling layer, and added fluffy whipped cream topping. Plus, we added a cute wax pumpkin on top of the candle that really brings everything together.

Pie Fragrance Oils: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Fragrance Oil

Plus, you can try out the fantastic Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Fragrance Oil. This fragrance oil is where southern baking truly comes alive! The aroma of sweet fresh strawberries mixed with sour rhubarb marmalade and rests on a warm base note of flaky pie crust. Rhubarb Pie is one of our best oil scents as it both absolutely mouth watering and very unique! This would be perfect for creating candles that look like desserts or even include it in your melt and pour soap ideas.

Pie Fragrance Oils: Sweet Potato Pie Fragrance Oil

Finally, we have the scrumptious scent of our Sweet Potato Pie Fragrance Oil. There are so mant ways that you can use this lovely recipe! Whether you want this scent to make soap at home, create home made candles, or formulate a unique and creative cosmetic recipe, this scented oil is sure to perform! This fragrance oil is a rich combination of candied yams, marshmallow cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zests, and a splash of lemon, in a warm buttery southern crust. Of course, this amazing and complicated scent is one of our best selling fragrance oils!

Pie Fragrance Oils: Best Pie Recipes

If these tasty pie fragrance oils are starting to make you hungry, then you may want to take a look at some of the best pie recipes out there! While these scented oils are perfect for making scrumptious soaps and candles that smell like homemade pies straight from the oven, they aren’t quite as fun as the real thing. Now that you mouth is probably watering, it’s time to make something just as yummy as these fragrance oils! Luckily, we there is a list of fantastic pies that is sure to have something for everyone. So, check out 50+ Classic All-American Pie Recipes by Country Living to find your new favorite pie recipes.

Pie Fragrance Oils: Give Us a Shout

Hopefully, you have found some delicious pie scents that you can use in your homemade recipes. We would love to hear about your favorite dessert scents and the recipes you were inspired to create. Further, we are available for any questions that you may have. You can find us on a few different forms of social media. There is a Natures Garden Facebook page. Also, you can use @ngscents to find us on Twitter and Instagram. Have fun with your pie scents and we’ll see you soon!

Oils For Soap Making

There are quite a few different kinds of oils for soap making. Each type of cosmetic oil has different properties that can be used to create batches of soap with different qualities. The main qualities that these oils can provide for your soap are hardness, cleansing, conditioning, bubbly lather, and creamy lather. Whether you are in interested in creating a moisturizing bar of soap, extremely cleansing bar of soap, or want to create a different kind of soap there are a few things you will need to know, a bit about the oils you are using is just one of those things. So, it can be useful to understand the impact that each of these cosmetic oils can have on your soap batch. At Natures Garden you can find all kinds of bulk oils for soap making that would be wonderful for making your own soap recipes! So, we will go over a few of the soaping oils that you could use to create your homemade soap making.

Oils For Soap Making Apricot Kernel Oil

First, we have a lovely cosmetic oil that is perfect for moisturizing the skin. Apricot kernel oil will easily absorb into your skin and provide your skin with the deep nourishment that it deserves. This oil is perfect for soap making and can be used in either cold or hot process soap with a recommended usage rate of 5%-10%. This oil is excellent, luxurious, and very conditioning! In fact, this oil will provide you soap bars with some amazing conditioning properties. Since this oil is such a skin loving cosmetic ingredient, it is sure to transfer this ability to your handmade soaps. Also, this oil will provide your bars with a slightly harder finished soap with a creamier lather.

Oils For Soap Making Avocado Oil

Another great soaping oil that you can add to your homemade recipes is avocado oil with a usage rate of 5%-30%. This lovely oil is perfect for skin care and would be wonderful in your homemade cold process soap. Not only is this oil wonderful for moisturizing your skin, but this cosmetic oil is gentle enough for even sensitive skin. Further, this soaping ingredient will provide a creamy lather as well as a conditioning properties that you will love in your homemade products!

Oils For Soap Making Castor Oil

Also, you can use castor oil to create lovely soap by adding this oil to your own recipes. Castor oil is a humectant so, it will attract moisture to your skin. This oil provides your soap with conditioning properties as well as a lather that is both very creamy and bubbly! You will love this oil in your homemade recipes. You can use about 5%-7% to get these lovely properties in your bars. Just make sure that you don’t use too much because more than 10% could make your soaps sticky.

Oils For Soap Making Coconut Oil 76

Further, you can incorporate coconut oil 76 in your homemade soap recipes. Coconut oil 76 will stay in a solid state in temperatures below 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Coconut oil will provide you with a harder and whiter soap bar with a bubbly lather. Also, this cosmetic ingredient is a very cleansing oil that is perfect for soap making. While this oil is not very conditioning, this can be countered by superfatting the recipe. Since this oil can strip the skin of natural oils and leave the skin dry when used above 30-35%, you can use a higher amount of other oils that are highly conditioning for the skin. This will allow your bar to be cleansing as well as moisturizing. We recommend no more than 20% of oil for soap making in your recipe.

Oils For Soap Making Fractionated Coconut Oil

Although, fractionated coconut oil has similar properties to coconut oil 76 in a bar of soap, there are also some differences. Fractionated coconut oil will contribute to making a bar of soap that will both be cleansing and provide a more bubbly lather. Furthermore, this cosmetic oil will provide you with a bar soap that is harder. While this oil won’t provide your bar of soap with any conditioning properties, you can easily pair this oil with other ingredients that are more conditioning. Combining ingredients with differing traits will make sure that you have a bar of soap with properties that are well-rounded. In addition, fractionated coconut oil contains only the medium-chain triglycerides of coconut oil making it liquid at room temperature. Finally, it has an almost unlimited shelf life.

Oils For Soap Making Grapeseed Oil

Also, you can use grapeseed oil in your own homemade recipes for making soap from scratch. This cosmetic oil is useful for adding some extra conditioning properties to your soap bars. In fact, this oil is typically used to superfat a recipe. So, this oil would be great for pairing with coconut oil to create a cleansing recipe that won’t dry out your skin. Plus, grapeseed oil will absorb easily into the skin. This means that your skin will be perfectly moisturized without a greasy feeling. Further, this cosmetic ingredient will provide your recipe with a bit of a creamy lather and a slightly harder bar. Our recommended usage rate for grapeseed oil is up to 5%.

Oils For Soap Making Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil is another lovely cosmetic oil that can be used for soap making. Plus, this ingredient is a luxurious oil that is perfect for conditioning your skin. So, this oil will provide your soap with a bit of a conditioning property. Not only is this ingredient perfect for moisturizing the body, but this oil has remarkable absorption and will sink deep down into the skin. While this lovely oil is great for creating deeply moisturizing bars of soap, this ingredient may speed up trace, so you will want to be prepared to work a bit quicker with this batch. You can use 5-10% of this carrier oil in your soap making recipe. Further, jojoba oil has a long shelf, which is uncommon for luxury oils, of about 1-2 years.

Oils For Soap Making Macadamia Nut Oil

Next, you can use macadamia nut oil for soap making. Macadamia nut oil provides wonderful nourishment for aging skin. In addition, this skin loving oil will easily absorb into your skin without a greasy feel left behind. This lovely carrier oil is is high in both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Since the levels of antioxidants are high, macadamia nut oil is not prone to rancidity. We recommend using no more than 10% of this oil in your handmade soap recipe.

Oils For Soap Making Meadowfoam Seed Oil

Furthermore, you can use meadowfoam seed oil for soap making. Adding this soaping oil to your soap from scratch will provide both conditioning and a bit of cleansing properties. While this oil has no fatty acids, it is still quite conditioning for the skin. In fact, this oil is so conditioning that meadowfoam seed oil is often used to superfat the soap batch. Also, this oil has an excellent resistance to oxidation and is not prone to rancidity. Additionally, this cosmetic oil can be used as a binder that may help to increase the life of fragrance oil. So, this oil is perfect to make scent in soap last longer. You can use this cosmetic oil at about 5-10%.

Oils For Soap Making Olive Oil

Olive oil is a very popular cosmetic ingredient that can be used to create homemade soap. This oil is a very conditioning oil that is perfect for creating a moisturizing bars of soap. Due to this property, many people can use this cosmetic ingredient to create Castille Soap, which is also referred to baby soap. This soft baby soap is made from olive oil with no other cosmetic oils added. Another type of soap that this oil is used to create is Marseille soap, which is made with 72% or more of this oil. This second type of soaping recipe is created to add other oils and create a better lather. Since Olive Oil can leave a lather that is a bit “slimy” with limited bubbles, many would prefer to add other oils to create a better kind of lather. Also, this soap making oil can be used to add some hardness to the bar and a bit of a creamy lather to your batch.

Oils For Soap Making Palm Oil

Additionally, you can use palm oil to create your homemade soap recipes. In fact, this oil, along with olive oil and coconut oil, is one of the most common oils that is used for making soap. This cosmetic additive will provide your batch of soap with a few different beneficial properties. Due to the properties of conditioning, a creamy lather, and a hard bar that are added to the bar from the soaping oils, this batch of soap is commonly enjoyed by soap makers. It is solid a room temperature. Although this cosmetic ingredient is great for making quality bars of soap, you need to be ready as it can speed up trace.

Oils For Soap Making Pumpkin Seed Oil

Also, pumpkin seed oil is a great soap making oil that you can use for your handcrafted bars of soap. This cosmetic ingredient is a dark oil that contains nutrients to the skin, like vitamins A,C,E,K, and zinc. As well as providing nutrients to the skin, this oil can provide some lovely qualities to the batch of soap. This cosmetic oil mostly provides conditioning properties. Further, the oil can provide a bit of hardness and a creamy lather and has a slight nutty aroma. Finally, the recommended usage rate is 5-10%.

Oils For Soap Making Rice Bran Oil

Further, you can use rice bran oil in your homemade soap making recipes, containing lots of antioxidants and vitamins. This cosmetic oil is perfect for mature and sensitive skin types. Not only is this oil great for more sensitive types of skin, but rice bran oil can provide your bars with some lovely properties. First, this oil can give your bar conditioning properties. Also, this oil can give your bar wonderful creamy lathering properties. So, soaps that use this cosmetic oil will create a soap batch with a conditioning, rich, creamy lather.

Oils For Soap Making Safflower Oil

Also, safflower oil is a lovely cosmetic oil that can be used to create nice bars of homemade soap. First of all, this soap making oil is very conditioning. Plus, oil can provide slight properties of hardness and creamy lather to the soap. So, you can create a mild and very moisturizing bar of soap with this oil. You can use up 5-15% of this ingredient.

Oils For Soap Making Sesame Seed Oil

Another great oil for soap making is sesame seed oil. This lovely ingredient is said to be helpful in treating eczema and psoriasis. Further, this cosmetic oil will provide conditioning power, a creamy, stable lather, and a silky feel. Furthermore, this ingredient can be used to slow down the trace in your batch. Also, sesame seed oil has a natural, nutty aroma with a long shelf life, this oil is not prone to rancidity. You can use 5-10% of this oil in your batch.

Oils For Soap Making Sunflower Oil

Furthermore, you can add sunflower oil to your soap making recipe. This cosmetic ingredient is most commonly chosen to slow down trace, which is very helpful for creating some swirled soap. So, you will have more time to work with your batch and get creative! Also, this cosmetic oil can provide lovely properties of this batch of cold process soap. This oil will add conditioning properties, a creamy lather, and a silky feel. Further, Sunflower Oil can naturally resist rancidity due to its high vitamin E content. If you choose to use this oil in your soap batch, then you can use up to 25% in soap batches. Just realize that using a high percentage of this oil will create a softer bar. So, it may be helpful to pair this oil with another ingredient that will strengthen your bar.

Oils For Soap Making Sweet Almond Oil

Another cosmetic oil that you can include in your homemade soap making recipes is sweet almond oil. This ingredient is a light oil that is perfect for adding some skin care qualities to the soap bars. This soaping oil is perfect for conditioning purposes. Furthermore, this oil will absorb perfectly into your skin and provide your deepest layers with nourishment. Also, you can use 5-10% of this cosmetic oil in your soaping batch.

Creating Your Own Homemade Soap

Now that you have learned a bit more about the soaping ingredients can impact your final product, it would be a great time to create you very own soap recipe! You can choose a few of your favorite cosmetic oils and use the Recipe Calculator on Soapcalc to perfectly formulate the perfect soap making recipes. While it is super fun to make your very own recipe, you can check out our formulations. The Cold Process Soap Recipes page on the Natures Garden website has quite a few different types of soap recipes that may be great for you. All you have to do is take a look through the recipes we created and try your favorites.

Soap Making Molds

Are you new to soapmaking or just looking for something new to do with your craft? Sometimes a new type of soap mold is just the creative touch you need to get going. We at Natures Garden have many different kinds of Soap Making Molds that you can use to make unique handmade soaps! Regardless of what method you use for soaping we have just the mold for you.

First, we have a perfect mold for all kinds of soapmaking methods. These soap molds are sturdy enough for cold process soaps and still perfect for melt and pour soap. If you like to make soap loaves, then this is the mold for you! You can create swirls, embed, and anything else you can imagine. Then, you just cut your slices and you have bars ready to use. It is so easy!

We used this mold to create our very pretty Energize Cold Process Soap Recipe! This loaf mold was used to create this vibrant in the pot swirl soap and it is perfect!

Also, you can use this cupcake shaped mold to create some really adorable soap! This mold has two cavities where the cupcake bottom is 2 3/4″ in diameter (top of cupcake base) x 1 1/4″ deep. So, it is a pretty good sized cupcake soap. Plus, it is perfect for adding whipped topping to create a more realistic design!

Also, you can use one of our fun shaped silicone molds for soaping. This mold creates six 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 1 1/4″ star-shaped soaps. This mold would work perfectly for any kind of soap making method. Plus, they are freezer, refrigerator, oven, microwave, and dishwasher safe. So, you can cool your soap quicker and cleanup is easy!

Also, this soap mold is perfect for Fourth of July creations, which you can see with our Layered Melt and Pour Soap Recipe! These awesome starts are striped with the signature red, white and blue to create perfect soaps for the fourth.

While you may need to watch the temperature at which you pour your soap, this mold can be used for all methods of soap making. As long as you pour below 145 degrees Fahrenheit, your mold will hold up. These pretty lips have three cavities that are each 4″ X 2.4″ X 1.3″ deep so they will make some pretty good sized soap.

Further, you can use this soap mold to create the Metallic Kiss Soap Recipe. Not only are these soaps kissy lips, but they have shimmery mica, too! These are too cute to not have!

Next, we have a mold that is perfect for making smooth bars of soap. The mold has three cavities that are 3.4 ” X 2.3 ” X 1″ deep. Unlike bars form a loaf, this mold provides you with a more even bar. Plus, you don’t have to worry about cutting smooth or straight because they are already individual bars!

Another great mold for making nice bars of soap. This mold has three cavities that are each 3.7″ X 2.5″ X 1″ deep. Also, make sure to watch the temperature that you are pouring. Once your soap sets up you will have perfectly rounded bars of soap that are ready to use!

Plus, you can use this mold to create our Tea Tree Soap Recipe! This recipe uses real tea tree essential oil that is perfect for defeating fungus and other skin issues!

Further, you can try a mold that shapes your soap like flowers! This mold has six 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 1 1/4″ deep cavities. Plus, the mold is made of silicone, which makes removing your soap easier.

One soap recipe that demonstrates the cute, flower shape is our Peppered Poppy Seed Cold Process Soap Recipe. Further, all of our soap testing for every fragrance oil used this very same soap mold, which you can see on our YouTube Channel. It was easy to use and removing the soap was super simple!

Alternatively, you can use the Peace Sign soap mold for your creations. This mold has three cavities that are 3 x 3 x 1 1/8 inch deep. Also, this mold is made of a high-quality plastic that will hold up to all types of soap, as long as you pour below 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Another mold you can try is our classic square loaf mold. Whether you are making cp soap, hp soap, or melt and pour soap, this mold is a nice choice as it is a high quality plastic soap. Also, it is 9 1/4 inches long, 2 3/4 deep, 3 1/4 at widest point.

One Melt and Pour Recipe that uses this mold perfectly is the Psychedelic Suds Soap Recipe! Each bar has this wild, colorful appearance and you get quite a few bars of soap out of a single loaf

Also, the Lavender Cold Process Soap Recipe works out perfect with this soap making mold. These bars are gorgeously swirled and topped with fluffy whipped soap and real lavender!

Another super cute melt and pour soap recipe that uses this soap mold is the Cinnanut Coffee Soap Recipe. This soap has coffee layers with a creamy, foam topping and has a sprinkling of real cinnamon on top! Plus, this soap looks super cute!

Also, you can you this shamrock-shaped silicone mold to create some creative soaps! This mold has six 2.5 x 2.75 x 1.5″ deep that are all shaped like clovers! Plus, the silicone is easy to work with for soap makers.

If you are making soap with honey, you may want to consider using the honey bee mold. It would be a perfect match! This mold is a high quality plastic soap mold with three cavities. Each cavity is 3 1/2 inch diameter x 1 inch deep.

Another unique mold that you can use is the silicone bundt cake! This mold can be used for any method of soap to create four 1/2 pound soap loafs. Plus, the silicone material makes it super easy to use and clean!

The 7 Up Bundt Cake Soap Recipe is a perfect recipe for making these cake shaped soap! This recipe even uses a soap based glaze to make it really look like cake!

Furthermore, you can create some rounded soaps with this dome top oval mold. This soap mold will create three individual bars with its 4.2″ x 2.8″ x 1.4″ deep cavities. Plus, it is made from high-quality plastic, which can withstand cp and hp soap at temperatures lower than 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

This Beet Root Facial Soap Recipe can be created with this mold. Each bar is a sensitive, natural, and smooth soap that will truly care for your soap!

Additionally, you can use these silicone cupcake soap molds for your recipes. This soap mold comes in a set of twelve, easy release molds that are great for making cupcake soaps! Also, each individual silicone cupcake wrapper is 2 x 2 x 1.25″ deep.

Now, check out a cold process soap cupcake recipe. The Lime Cupcake CP Soap Recipe is made with an entirely cp soap base and melt and pour topping.

Also, this basic circle mold can be used to make some creative soaps! Whether you just want a soap that has a different shape or you have a super cool idea in mind, this circle is a perfect mold to get started on your craft.

Also, you can use this mold to create fifteen sections of soap that you can easily cut into separate 2 oz square bars. This large square is 8″ X 8″ X .75″ deep total and is made of high-quality plastic. So, make sure to watch your temperatures when pouring the soap.

We created the Activated Charcoal Soap Recipe with this mold. This soap uses melt and pour soap and some fresh herbs to create a simple soap bar that is very cleansing!

Soap Making Molds Just For Melt and Pour Soap

While you can use any method of soap in the molds above, the next type of molds will only work for melt and pour soap. This is because the embed molds are made of a thinner plastic that can be melted easier than other molds. So, hot process soap and cold process soap both get too hot for these molds. However, you can use these cute melt and pour shapes to top or decorate your other soapmaking creations.

There are many different ways to use melt and pour embed soaps. While you can simply use them as cute guest soaps, it can be fun to use them to top soap, too. Especially, when the soaps are cute little hearts! Whether you are making cp soap or easy melt and pour soap recipes, you can totally top your creation with these Love Heart Embed soaps!

The Hearts a Flutter Soap Recipe was a creative melt and pour loaf where we added a cute topping and a heart inside. Plus, the topping used adorable pink fluff and these cute embed heart soaps!

This embed soap mold is perfect for both making mini peanut butter cups and cute little soap cupcakes! We have loved using this mold to create tiny cupcakes with whipped soap topping! They are so adorable! Plus, one of these molds contains 10 of these little cups so, you can make quite a few of these little cuties at once!

The Orange Cream Cupcake Soap Recipe is another of the many different kinds of mini cupcakes that you can create with this mold. While you could use the larger cupcake mold to make these, the miniature cupcake soaps are so much cuter!

Also, you can use these super cute smiley embed soaps to decorate your soaps, too! These happy little embed soaps are a perfect way to brighten up your soapmaking! Plus, you could use this mold to create single use soaps. They would be a cute way to use bar soap without the worry of gathering germs between uses. So, there are a few different way that you can use this soap.

Soap Making Molds More Fun Soap Molds

While we shared a variety of our best soap molds, there are still a ton of great molds that you can use for soapmaking! Check out the rest of our selection at the Natures Garden website on our Soap Molds page.

Best Fragrance Oils For Soap

As all soap makers know, not every fragrance oil soaps the same. The truth of it is that some scents are better for soap making than others. While you may find a scent that you just adore, you’d have to be pretty lucky to discover that it actually works perfectly. Some make the batch more difficult to work with, while others make it impossible to get the right color for your soaps. Further, you may even find that the scent you loved so much fades after the soap making is all said and done. We recognize the hardship of finding that perfect performing scent. So, we are trying to make this process a bit easier. Since it can be difficult to sort through hundreds of scents to find the ones that work best, we at Natures Garden have compiled the Best Fragrance Oils For Soap! So, look through our list of the easiest soaping scents with no disappointment of weak scents after cure! This list is a soap makers dream! So, check out the all of the fragrance oils we have compiled and see if you can find any that you’d like to use.

The Viva la Juicee Fragrance Oil is a tantalizing summer scent that is perfect for making your soaps from scratch. Any of your soap batches that use this fragrance oil will have no issues with separation, acceleration, ricing, nor discoloration, which can be seen in our own soap making video. So, soapers that are using this fragrance in soap is a breeze! Further, this sweet scent that is left in your cured soaps is amazing! This perfect summer scent remains very strong and gorgeous in the finished soaps! Overall, this is a scent that is so worth using in your soap recipe!

Also, check out the amazing floral scent, Country Garden Fragrance Oil! This lovely fragrance oil is a romantic blend of fresh green clover, and ivy with middle notes of romantic snapdragon, rose petals, and carnations with base notes of white musk and fig leaves.Plus, this gorgeous scent stays very strong in soaps. Further, you can see in our soap video that this floral bouquet of a scent has absolutely no acceleration during the soaping process! Overall, this lovely fragrance oil is a good scent for soap makers that wish to try out a floral fragrance that isn’t too difficult.

Further, this beautiful floral scent can be effortlessly used to create soap very cute and fun melt and pour soaps! The Graffiti Melt and Pour Soap Recipe is one example of how this fragrance oil can be used. This recipe drips a variety of vibrant colored soaps on a solid bar to create six unique and fun soap bars that smell great thanks to the Country Garden Fragrance Oil!

Next, try out an elegant scent that is an absolute treat for you to use in cold process soaps. Of course, we are talking about the Merlot Wine Fragrance Oil! This delectable fragrance’s notes of scrumptious plums, apples, red raspberries and strawberries that blend with the light alcoholic wine scent creates a wonderful aroma that even stays strong and true in soap! Plus, this amazing soap scent doesn’t have a single issue in a batch of cold process soap, which you can see in our soaping video.

Obviously, we had to take advantage of this perfect soap scent in one of our recipes. So, we created the wonderful Wine Cold Process Soap Recipe! Not only does this soap recipe use the perfect Merlot Wine Fragrance, but this recipe actually includes real wine in the soap! Talk about a true to life scent! Between the fragrance oil and the real wine notes, this recipe is absolutely perfect!

Are you ready for a floral scent that is absolutely perfect for making cold process soap? Then check out Natures Garden’s Lotus Blossom Fragrance Oil! This scent mimics the true water-fresh, clean, and slightly powdery scent that occurs naturally in the beautiful lotus flower. This scent isn’t one that is too sweet, but it is very lovely and pure! This pure scent remains very strong in finished soaps. Further, this floral scent is perfect and soaps like a dream. There is no ricing, no acceleration, no separation, and no discoloration. See for yourself by clicking here.

Also, we have found another fragrance oil that works great in soap and keeps a wonderful scent! The Cucumber Wasabi Fragrance Oil has a refreshing aroma that is clean, energetic, and downright spa-like. So, it is a perfect aroma for soap, as well as performing great! Plus, the scent remains very strong in a cured batch of cp soaps. Not only is the scent perfect, but the performance is as well. There is no ricing, no acceleration, no separation, and no discoloration, which means perfect pour! So, if you are interested in this scent you may want to see how this scent performs click here to see our soaping video.

Another great soap making scent is the Mango Sorbet Fragrance Oil! This uplifting aroma is a blend of ripe mango, juicy lemons, and fresh, red raspberries that intermingle to create a decadent fragrance oil. Plus, this energizing fragrance oil is perfect in cold process soap. The scent is very strong and there is no ricing, no acceleration, and no separation. If you would like to see how this scent works, then take a look at how this scent performs in our soaping video.

We created a simple and moisturizing cold process soap recipe that is very nourishing called Mango Cold Process Soap Recipe! Not only does this recipe use some lovely soaping oils, but this fragrance oil works perfectly for making soap. The scent stays strong and the fragrance doesn’t interfere with the soap batch during the process. So, this recipe is perfect for creating simple bars that are effective and smell great!

We have more scents that are perfect for soap making, such as the Bite Me Fragrance Oil. This playful scent it a luscious blend of berry and cherry with a sweet vanilla base. This intense scent is not only great on its own, but the aroma strong in finished cp soaps. Plus, the fragrance is a perfect pour and has absolutely no ricing, no acceleration, and no separation. If you’d like to see how this scent performs, then you can see our soap video for this scent. So, any soap maker that is interested in this scent will not be disappointed.

Further, we have created the Zebra Print Soap Recipe with this wonderful soaping fragrance oil. This recipe uses the Bite Me Fragrance Oil and melt and pour soap to flawlessly create these cute soap loaves. There is no soap discoloration from the scent in the Shea Butter Melt and Pour soap, so you’re able to create perfect zebra stripes!

Another enticing scent that is great for soaping is the Black Raspberry Vanilla Fragrance Oil! This sweet blend of juicy berries, light florals, and sweet vanilla makes a perfectly delicious scent that really lasts in cold process soap. Further, this fragrance works perfectly in a soap recipe. Of course, they are no issues with ricing, acceleration, separation, nor discoloration, which you can see on our own soap testing video of this scent. So, this sweet scent provides all the fragrance oil fun without any soap making hardships.

Next, we have the White Tea & Ginger Type Fragrance Oil. This scent is a tea blend of white tea and earl grey tea with a variety of other notes used to enhance the scent. Further, this fragrance is perfect for cold process soap making! Not only does this fragrance leave a strong scent in cured soaps, but the batch of soap will have no issues due to the addition of this scent, which you can see in our soap testing video. So, this fragrance oil is one of our best!

This scent has worked very well in melt and pour soaps as well as cold process. So, we created the Blarney Stone Soap Recipe with this lovely fragrance oil. The recipe uses a variety of differently colored melt and pour soaps to create a solid gemstone soap bar that is cut and shaped into a stone. The best part is that this recipe looks just as lovely as it smells!

Another great scent for soap makers to try out is the Lavender Flowers Fragrance Oil. This aroma captures the true aroma of fresh lavender flowers. This relaxing flower scent is already perfect for creating soap from scratch, but on top of this, the Lavender Flowers scent is a perfect floral choice for cold process soap! There is no ricing, no separation and no discoloration. Plus, there is only a slight acceleration, which is pretty great for a floral scent. Additionally, you can see exactly how nice this scent is by watching our soap testing results of this scent.

We have even more scents that are perfect for making homemade soap. For example, the Hot Pink Lime Fragrance Oil works like a dream in soap batches. There is no acceleration, no ricing, no separation, and no discoloration caused by this fragrance oil. Plus, this refreshing blend of Kaffir lime, Japanese grapefruit, tangerine, and lemon; middle notes of bergamot and strawberries; sitting on base notes of brown sugar and oak moss creates a scent that is even strong in cured soaps. See how wonderful this scent is for yourself by checking out our cp soap testing video for this scent.

Also, we have a sassy and saucy fragrance oil that works wonders in cold process soaps. This Sweet Orange Chili Pepper Fragrance Oil is a great scent that stays strong is soaps. It utilizes a combination of Valencia Orange, Sparkling Bergamot, Tangerine Zest, Tart Cassis, Orange Juice, Neroli, Ground Pepper, Fiery Chili Pepper, and Sheer Musk. Further, this fragrance oil soaped at room temperature would be a great choice for soap makers, as according to our soap testing results.

A great way to use this saucy scent is in cold process soap. So, we created the Sweet Orange Chili Pepper Cold Process Soap Recipe! This soap making recipe uses warm soap colorants that match perfectly to spicy this scent. Plus, this homemade soap recipe is unique as the design pattern will differ slightly between every soap loaf.

The Perfect Man Fragrance Oil is a masculine scent that is perfect for making soaps. This daring scent is a blend of Japanese grapefruit, bergamot, and lemon; followed by middle notes of peppercorn, ginger, jasmine, aquatic marine notes, and a hint of peppermint; sitting on expensive base notes of natural patchouli, cedar, vetiver, labdanum, and frankincense that is perfectly strong in soaps. Plus, our soap testing results have shown us that this scent has no acceleration, no ricing, and no separation.

Further, check out another great fragrance oil for creating handmade soaps! We have the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Fragrance Oil, which is an absolute treat to use in soaps. This delicious pie scent takes the aroma of sweet fresh strawberries mixed with sour rhubarb marmalade and mixes it with a base note of flaky pie crust to create a delicious scent that is very strong in soaps. Plus, this bakery fragrance oil is perfect in a soap batch. Our soap testing video revealed that this scent has no acceleration, no separation, no discoloration.

For this recipe, we wanted to really knock it out of the box. And, in the end, the whole Hot Soap theme really tied together nicely with the scent and color. We could not be happier with the total package of this awesome soap and recipe. In fact, our testing and end results were so amazing, we couldn’t even wait to share the cold process soap recipe, so you to can recreateyour very own hot soap. Since, this cold process soap recipe makes approximately 4.5 pounds of beautiful, creamy and rich lathering bars; we used the Mold Market Square Loaf Mold and have enough soap batter to achieve a nice and full heaped top to the soap. This made for very hearty sized slices.

To scent the soap, we selected Sweet Orange Chili Pepper. This fragrance oil qualifies as a hot soap scent candidate because it is one of Natures Garden’s top selling cold process soap scents. Not only does this fragrance oil have a kick, but it also behaves. This means it is a Perfect Pour, and the scent retention is hands down amazing in the cured bar of soap. If you have yet to try this scent in soap, you are really missing out!

Sticking with the hot soap theme, we went with the additions of a bold red and vibrant orange color. This was accomplished using the FUN soap colorant tomato red, and neon orange. However, for these colors to truly dazzle, we decided that the colors should be added as swirls to a white soap base. Now, although Sweet Orange Chili Pepper fragrance oil does not discolor, we wanted a clean white. We attained this by adding titanium dioxide.

The red and orange colored batter was introduced to the white soap batter using the in the pot swirl technique. We personally love using this method to create beautiful and flowing swirls in our finished soap bars. But, don’t get overwhelmed, this hot soap is really easy to make; and in this blog post we will go over each step with pictures of our process included.

As for other supplies that you will need in addition to the standard soaping supplies: 2 mixing bowls (1 for the red soap colorant, and 1 for the orange soap colorant) and a spatula (for the in the pot swirl technique).

So, now that you have everything that you need lets get our safety gear on and get started.

Next, make your lye solution.

Then, weigh out and combine your soaping ingredients and melt.

Now, back to the lye solution. Once it has cooled, add the sodium lactate. Use your spatula to carefully stir this in.

When your lye solution and soaping ingredients are within 5-10 degrees of each other, it is time to combine them together.

Then, stick blend for emulsion.

Now, get your two mixing bowls for the colorants. To the first bowl, weigh out the tomato red soap colorant. Then, to the second bowl, weigh out the neon orange soap colorant.

Next, add the fragrance oil to the soap batter and stick blend to incorporate.

Then, get your soap batter, and place 400 grams into each soap colorant bowl. To incorporate the orange soap colorant, stir this with a spoon. To incorporate the red soap colorant, stick blend. Once both colors are incorporated in their bowls, set them aside.

Now, bring the white soap batter over to your color soap bowls. Then, drop some of the orange soap batter throughout the white soap. Continue doing this until all of the orange soap is gone. Repeat the same action with the red soap batter.

Now, for the in the pot swirl: Start by placing the spatula alongside the inside bottom edge of the bowl. Then, come straight up the center. When you reach the top, pick the spatula up. Now, starting on one side, begin your swirls in a “s” pattern (using the spatula). Repeat on the other side.

Next, carefully pour the soap batter into the mold.

Once the mold has been filled, use the remaining batter to add a nice heaped topping. You may need to wait a few minutes for the soap batter to thicken slightly before attempting this. Then once all of the remaining soap has been heaped, insulate. Please note: You may want to insulate your soap using something that will not touch the top of the heaped soap.

After 24 hours, remove the soap from the mold. Then, using your knife, slice the hot soap into bars. Allow them to further cure before using.

That is it! Your hot soap performs and smells fantastic. Plus, you will have created the most beautiful swirls. Enjoy!

Natures Garden is not responsible for the performance of any of the recipes provided on our website. Testing is your responsibility. If you plan to resell any recipes we provide, it is your responsibility to adhere to all FDA regulations. If there are ingredients listed in a recipe that Natures Garden does not sell, we cannot offer any advice on where to purchase those ingredients.

Soaping with the cold process method allows you to create some really beautiful bars. Not only are these bars creamy, bubbly, and cleansing, but they are also conditioning. Plus, with the right recipe, bars can contain skin loving ingredients that nourish your skin too.

There are various ways to achieve beautiful designs in your cold process bars. Some of the more popular designs include: the peacock swirl, the mantra swirl, and the mica swirl. You can even try your hand at marbling your soap if you like.

When it comes to swirling, this is where you really get to let your creativity soar. Through colors and varying design techniques, you can take your wonderful soap recipe and make the visual aspect just as appealing as the skin nourishing one!

The ideal scent when making cold process soap is one that is a Perfect Pour. What this means is that the fragrance oil does not accelerate trace, rice, or discolor. However, many times with floral scents, acceleration is a part of the package. Although swirling is not impossible to achieve with an accelerator, it can be difficult if you do not move fast enough. There is however, a swirling method that can be done when a fragrance oil accelerates trace. This is known as the in the pot swirl.

Here is how to make an in the pot swirl soap. The recipe, steps, and photos are included to help. With the exemption of the lye and water, all of the ingredients for this soaping venture can be purchased at Natures Garden. Although for this recipe, the Peace Sign Mold was used, any mold that is cold process soap safe will work. To see the full list of soap molds available, please click on this link.

Step 2: Weigh out your lye and water. In a well ventilated area, slowly pour the lye into the water. Use a spatula to stir slowly. Keep stirring until no lye granules are left in the water. Do not breathe in any of the lye water fumes. Allow this to cool to around 90-100 degrees F.

Step 3: According to the recipe, in a pot weigh out the coconut oil 76, mango butter, palm oil, and shea butter. Melt all of these ingredients down on low heat until each one is in a liquid state. Stir. Then add the apricot kernel oil, castor oil, and sunflower oil. Stir again. Remove from heat. Transfer all of this into your mixing bowl.

Step 4: Now, get your 5 mixing bowls. Assign each bowl a color. Then, weigh out 2 grams of each neon colorant in its specific bowl. The ultramarine violet bowl needs 4 grams weighed out. A great tip: Reuse the containers from the 1lb Whipped Soap Base. They make perfect mixing bowls for colorant in cold process soaping!

Step 5: Check the temperature of the lye water. When it is cooled to around 90-100 degrees F, add your 17 grams of Sodium Lactate. Stir carefully. Now, once the temperatures of the lye water and the soaping oils and butters are within 5-10 degrees of one another, it is time to move on to the next step.

Step 6: Slowly pour the lye water/sodium lactate into your oils and butters bowl. Use a spatula to get all of this out and into the other bowl.

Step 9: Now add your Vanilla White Color Stabilizer. Once added, stick blend to incorporate. Do not forget to scrap the sides with a spatula.

Step 10: Now, place 90 grams of the soap batter into each bowl. Stir well with a spoon. This will help slow down trace. Then, starting with the yellow soap, pour it back into the mixing bowl. Try your best to keep it in one area.

Step 11: Repeat with the orange.

Step 12: Now, the red.

Step 13: Then the purple.

Step 14: Finally, get your blue soap batter into the bowl.

Step 15: Get your spatula, start by placing it alongside the inside bottom edge of the bowl. Then, come straight up the center of the bowl. When you reach the top, pick the spatula up. Now, starring on one side, begin your swirls (using the spatula). Repeat on the other side. Do not over swirl.

Step 16: Grab your mold. Then begin to pour the soap batter into each mold opening.

Step 17: Once the mold is filled, cover it with plastic wrap. When the soap has hardened enough to move, place the mold somewhere it will not be disturbed.

Step 18: After your soap has set for 24 hours, place it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. This step will help to release the soap from the mold. Then, carefully remove the soaps from the mold.

Step 19: Now, allow your soap to finish curing before use.

Congratulations, you just completed an in the pot swirl technique! Note: You will notice as your soap cures that the neon colors will become more vivid.

After the cure, your in the pot swirl soap is now finished. The ending bar will be nice and firm. The lather will be creamy and filled with lots of bubbles. These bars will cleanse, yet still provide your skin conditioning elements. Enjoy!

Natures Garden is not responsible for the performance of any of the recipes provided on our website. Testing is your responsibility. If you plan to resell any recipes we provide, it is your responsibility to adhere to all FDA regulations. If there are ingredients listed in a recipe that Natures Garden does not sell, we cannot offer any advice on where to purchase those ingredients.

Melt and Pour Soap Bases contain high levels of vegetable glycerin. Glycerin is a natural byproduct of the saponification process. The ingredient glycerin is a humectant. A humectant is a substance that can retain and preserve moisture, therefore also preventing loss of moisture as well. Humectants are very important in bath and body products. Having a moisturizing aspect to your products is especially crucial for the dry skin type products.

Sometimes, during the manufacturing process of melt and pour soaps, extra glycerin is added. Glycerin is a key ingredient for making clear soaps. Some types of melt and pour soaps even have up to 20% of pure glycerin in them (this would be why glycerin is listed so highly on the ingredients label). But remember this glycerin is what gives melt and pour soap some of its highly sought after qualities, easy to color and mold, skin loving nature, mild and gentle soap (good for children and sensitive skinned), and very highly moisturizing naturally.

In fact, it is believed that in theory when you wash your hands with glycerin soap, there will be a thin layer of glycerin that is left behind after you rinse off the lather. This layer of glycerin then does its humectant job and pulls moisture from the air, keeping your hand moisturized until the next wash. But, it is also this same ingredient which is causing your melt and pour soap to “sweat”. Some people believe that m&p sweat is inevitable, but there are some steps you can take to help avoid and reduce sweat.

Because glycerin is a humectant, the sweat that is produced after m&p soap in unmolded is actually condensation from the air that the glycerin drew out unto itself. This is a very important element to remember if you live in an area with high heat and high humidity, or if you are soaping while it is raining outside. Humidity is the number one cause for sweat.

How to Reduce M&P Soap Sweat

One of the best suggestions that we have for reducing the amount of sweat on your soaps is to have a dehumidifier in your soaping area. You also want to keep the temperature of the room where you are soaping constant. Drastic changes in temperature will also enhance soap sweat.

The first option in reducing sweat on m&p soap, especially if you live in a very humid area, is to store unmolded soaps in an airtight container. By doing this, you are eliminating any extra moisture to be retained by the glycerin. One tip we have learned from our customers is to spread a thin layer of aroma beads into the bottom of the air tight container. Since aroma beads absorb liquid, this will also better your chances of having an air tight moisture free environment for your soaps to dry and harden.

In addition to the aroma beads, you will want to use drying racks in your containers if possible. Setting your soap directly on top of the aroma beads for long periods of time will also dry out your soaps. The time limit that the soaps can be in the air tight container is 2 hrs. The soaps should also be checked and rotated every 30 minutes.

Some soap crafters use muslin bags to lay their soap out to dry, rotating them once a day. This however will only work if you live in an area that does not have high humidity.

Although there is some debate as to when you can wrap your soap to avoid sweat, the general consensus is to wrap your soaps immediately after unmolding, if you are not storing them in an airtight container. Regardless of whether you are using, plastic wrap or saran wrap (sealed with a heat gun), or shrink wrap, the sooner you get the soaps covered, the less chance glycerin has to draw moisture to the outside of the soap.

Another way to reduce sweat forming on the soap is to allow the soap to cool and harden naturally. You want your soaps to harden at room temperature (70-72 degrees). Even though you can speed up the hardening process by placing your molds in the fridge/freezer, it should NEVER be any longer than 15-20 minutes depending on the size of your mold. Also, this step should never occur right after you poured the hot melted soap in the mold. Wait until your soap has already started to harden. The drastic temperature change from piping hot to freezing cold will lead to soap sweat. And, you never want to completely freeze soap. When the frozen soap thaws, you can almost guarantee soap sweat.

On a closing note, soap sweat does not affect any of the soap’s abilities. Soap sweat happens naturally in humid environments that the soap is in. Although using the preventative measures listed above will help to reduce the amount of soap sweat that occurs on your bars of soap, soap sweat may still appear. The humectant agents in your soap are just doing their job, collecting moisture from the air, just as it will to moisturize your skin.